Winneconne parents voice displeasure over Title IX expansion

Parents gathered in Winneconne on Friday to discuss their concerns after a school board vote on the latest updates to Title IX.

• New rules expanding Title IX protections took effect on August 1.
• Winneconne Community School District adopted a policy recognizing the new rules.
• Parents gathered at Marble Park Friday to share concerns.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, edited for the web.)

At Marble Park in Winneconne, concerned parents met to discuss the expanding federal rules on sex-based discrimination.

"We support Title IX, we just have issues with all the changes they're requiring from us and the fact that they're threatening that if you don't do this we're going to take your [federal] funding," said Winneconne parent Cynthia Otten.

On Monday, the Winneconne School Board voted 4-3 to adopt a policy on the new Title IX regulations. Those include a greater ability to investigate sex-based harassment and equal opportunity in athletics.

Attorney Tony Renning represents the district. He said the district is not under immediate threat of losing federal funding if it doesn't recognize new regulations, but it could face a private lawsuit.

"If there was a transgender student who believed that the district was violating the law with respect to the new Title IX regulations, the student or the student's family could bring a lawsuit against the district," said Renning at the school board meeting earlier this week.

Winneconne District Administrator Peggy Larson says it's an issue of following the law.

"If we didn't want to adopt that updated Title IX or for some reason we wanted to rescind our non discrimination policy, it doesn't mean we can opt out of state and federal law," said Larson

Parents opposed to the board's decision are expected to hold a rally on August 18th.